In Your Arms I Wished To Die
by Pink Spider11
Summary: Leroux based, will be horror at the end of the story. Erik is dead, and Christine must go bury him. Raoul keeps insisting that Erik is alive, but Christine wont listen.
1. Seems So Long

**Disclaimer: **Still, I own nothing.

**Note:** My first chapter phic. Seems like a general story now, but it will be a horror story when it is finished. There will be three chapters.

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**Chapter 01/03 - Seems So Long**

_"Erik est Mort"_, read the newspaper on the bed beside me and Raoul. A seemingly simple statement...to anyone but us.

"Christine...you can't go back! He will take you, that evil monster will take you!"

"How very heartless of you! How would poor Erik hurt me? He is now dead, Raoul!"

"How do you know that this isn't just one of his tricks?"

"Oh Raoul, you never knew him as I did. But he was a very honorable man! He would not use his death as a trap for me. I know he wouldn't! Now...I am going to give his ring back as I promised --- No! You can't stop me! --- I promised him I would, and I am a woman of my word. You wouldn't want an dishonorable woman for a wife, would you? I swear on our love that I will be back by dark...please don't fret!" I glanced at him imploringly through the mirror as I pinned up my blonde curls. Oh dear, sweet Raoul! He worried for me, I know, but couldn't he see that I needed to do this?

"You cry for him, don't you?"

I turn sharply, "What did you say?"

"You cry for him...I hear you...every night you sob and weep in your room for at least an hour every night! Why do you cry for him?"

I don't have an answer. I love Raoul dearly, but he could never understand the relationship between me and my poor Erik. He will only say that he has bewitched me somehow into feeling fondness for my teacher...my friend. No...I can't tell him that I miss my poor Erik, that I miss the music and his lessons...I miss drinking his Russian tea while listening to him tell stories...I even miss his horrible face.

"Oh Raoul, you must be hearing things," I tell him hastily.

"I don't hear things that aren't there!"

"What I do in my own chambers at night is none of your business Raoul!" Oh! I haven't raised my voice to him in many many months...not since that one time at Mamma's house. He looks so shocked...poor, sweet Raoul...

"If...if you must...Christine," he says slowly, "there is nothing that I can do to stop you I guess...but may I at least go with you?"

"No Raoul, I don't think Erik would have liked his rival there at his death. You wouldn't either, were the situations reversed."

He sighs. He knows I am right.

Without another word, I pull black gloves on over my hands; I am still wearing Erik's ring, I haven't taken it off since that last evening at the Opera. I pick up my small black bag that matches my black mourning dress. Oh, God give me strength!

I walk past Raoul and I start my journey to l'Opera Garnier.

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It has only been a few months since I last went through the tunnels under the Opera House, but it seems like an eternity ago. I entered through the Rue Scribe entrance, went across by boat to Erik's house. Now I stood in front of his house, that was more of his tomb and prison than it ever was a home.

I have already started crying. The very thought of me never being able to see him again brings me such sorrow that I haven't felt since my father died. I wipe the wetness from my face before finally opening the door.

Silence.

No organ being played, no angelic voice singing or weeping or claiming love.

Nothing.

I walk in shakily and close the door behind me. I had expected the smell of death, but I can only smell flowers...roses that surround me. Oh Erik, you think of everything, don't you?

Poor Erik...

I set my bag down on the small table by the door and remove my gloves. He said to look for him in his room. Oh Erik, how I do hate your room! With that dreaded coffin in the center...and the violently red walls. It is such a very depressing room. But my room wasn't. You made sure my room was pretty and comfortable.

My poor Erik!

You went through such pains to make me happy didn't you?

I start to look for you, Erik dear. I don't have to look for long, for you are exactly where you said you would be. You are laying in your coffin, but I can't go to you...not yet! The very sight of you makes me fall to the floor crying. No Erik, it isn't because you don't have your mask on. You face holds no horror for me. Just the sight of you dead makes me feel such sadness I never knew possible! You were so powerful, so regal. Kings and shahs would even envy the sheer awe that you inspired in those around you! But now Erik...now you lay there silently. You are so very thin...did you eat at all in the last weeks of your life? You look pale now...the yellow tint gone from your skin. You look as every other man does in death.

You are finally just the same as everyone else, my dear, sweet Erik.

Still sobbing, I start crawling to your coffin. As soon as I reach you I caress your terrible face. You don't really look that horrible you know...I guess I have gotten used to it. Even the coldness of your skin doesn't bother me anymore. You always cherished physical contact with others, especially a kiss. You acted as if kissing my forehead brought you all the joy the world had to offer. Such a simple request, a kiss on the forehead!

I smile at this thought and I kiss you on your cheek before laying beside you in your coffin. It has been so long since I have been near you, my dear Erik...far too long. Raoul will never know if I spend a bit longer here...

My tears have blurred my vision, but I almost believe that you smiled.


	2. Angels Never Die

**Disclaimer: **Still, I own nothing.

**Note:** My first chapter phic. Seems like a general story now, but it will be a horror story when it is finished. There will be three chapters.

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**Chapter 02/03 - Angels Never Die**

I open my eyes and sit up with a start. How did I ever fall asleep? More importantly, how did I end up in this room? I was in Erik's room, not mine! I glance around, looking at the familiar surroundings of my lovely room, and nearly faint at what I see by the door.

Oh Erik, you are supposed to be dead!

But you aren't dead...you are standing my the door, smiling at me! Tears of happiness run down your terrible face...but how? You are dead!

Before I can voice this question, he speaks to me.

"Oh my little Christine!" he says joyously, "You came back to me! You fell asleep in my coffin, but that is no place for an Angel so I moved you here. I hope you don't mind?"

"You are dead!" I inform him. The dead aren't supposed to come back! What trick of the devil is this?

"No, Erik isn't dead. He said he was to give you peace. Erik loves you and wants only your happiness, Christine! But instead of just staying with your Viscomte, you came back to Erik! And he has never known such happiness!"

"But, I saw you! You were dead in your coffin!"

"It isn't much of an act, for me to act dead you know. I look as a dead man looks, and my skin in as cold as death..."

I realize that he is right. Raoul...oh Raoul...you were right! He _is_ alive!

"You do not seem pleased," he states sadly, "Did you really wish for poor Erik to be dead?"

"No...of course not. But..."

But what? Oh, how confusing this is!

"Forgive me for lying, I didn't mean to upset you. I wont make you stay, Christine. And I wont say that I am dead again, you can forget about me after today. But please, before you leave, may I hear you sing again? I have so missed your voice Christine, almost as much as I have missed your company."

How in Heaven or Earth could I refuse him this one request?

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I know I should have left a while ago. (How long ago, I'm not sure. There are no means of keeping time here.) It feels as though I have been down here for a few days. But they haven't been bad, oh no! They have been happy.

Happy days, shared only between me and my dear, sweet Erik.

He doesn't move very often. When he does move, he needs my help. Poor Erik, he has grown weak since I left him it seems. He hasn't eaten much, but he insists that the lack of nourishment isn't the reason. He says it has been the lack of music in his life. _"I live off music...not air, food or water"_ he had told me. He tells me that he will get stronger now that I am back to sing for him again.

We sing most of the day; he plays the piano or the violin to accompany our voices. I never knew how wonderful it could feel to sing! But hearing our voices soar in our exquisite duet made me feel as I'd never felt before. How had I ever thought that I could live without this?

At the moment, we are both sitting by the fire drinking tea. We aren't speaking, but words weren't needed. Only one thing troubled me: Raoul's reaction.

I shouldn't be here. I really shouldn't. As soon as I saw that Erik was alive, I should have left. But I stayed, and Raoul is probably sick with worry by now. I had to leave...Erik told me I could.

_But did I want to?_

Before I could continue with my thoughts, Erik's alarm went off, telling us that there was someone on the lake.

"Who could that be?" I ask him curiously.

"I would say, my dear, that it is the Viscomte de Chagny."

I gasp and grab the crucifix I wear around my neck in fear, "Oh Erik, you wont hurt him will you?"

"I promised you when you left before that I would not hurt him. Erik is a man of his word. When he speaks to you at least."

I relax slightly, but there is still many things to worry about. What will Raoul do? What will _I_ do? Am I happy here, or do I want to leave? I bite my lip to fight back tears. Oh! This could end no better than last time. Someone will still be hurt, someone will be left alone.

There is a knock at the door.

Oh horror!


	3. The Truth Chains You

**Disclaimer: **Still, I own nothing.

**Note:** This is the final chapter! Thank you for the reviews, I love reviews.

In this chapter, POV will change, the change will be marked by people's names bold **Like So**

I don't think some people will like the ending..but I _did_ say that it would end with horror...

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**Chapter 03/03 - The Truth Chains You**

**Christine**

"Erik! What do we do?" I ask in my panic. To my surprise, he doesn't answer. I turn to face him, he is only staring at me without saying a word.

"Erik, did you hear me? Raoul is at the door! What do we do?"

Still, he wont answer me. Why...why wont he answer me?

"Erik! In the name of your love for me...answer me! If you love me, tell me what to do, Erik! ERIK!"

Maybe he thinks I will only leave him again. Poor Erik! He only thinks that if I open the door, I will run to Raoul and leave him alone again.

With this in mind, I calm myself and smile warmly at him, "Erik, I wont leave you again. But please, I must tell Raoul that I am safe and happy. I will send him away, my dear Erik! Tell me how to open this door Erik, you know you never told me how to."

He still only stares sadly at me. Does he think I am lying to him?

Raoul knocks on the door again, and calls to me, "Christine? Is that you?"

I walk over to Erik and sit before him, "Erik, I implore you. Believe me when I say that I only wish to tell Raoul the truth. I owe him that much...I will only send him away."

He still doesn't answer me!

Now he is starting to anger and frighten me. Why is he acting this way? I start beating on his thin chest and yelling at him, "ERIK! ANSWER ME ERIK!"

I turn back to the door and start pounding on the door, hoping to knock it down.

"Christine? CHRISTINE!" Raoul is worried now. Oh, if only I could tell him to go away! Then Erik will talk to me again and we can be happy. But if I only tell him through the door, he wont believe me.

I stop beating at the door, and I gasp for breath. It was then that something on the door caught my eye...a small crack by the handle. I run my finger along it, and the door springs open.

**Raoul**

When Christine told me she had to go back to the monster's house, I have to admit that I wasn't happy about the idea. He had proven before that he wasn't beyond deception. He had, after all, posed as an Angel of Music...had he not?

No matter how kind and sweet she was, however, she is very stubborn about certain things. Singing for Erik one last time in Faust was one example, giving him her last respects appeared to be another. She wouldn't be swayed, and it wasn't my place to stop her, no matter how much I wanted to.

I allowed her to go, and she promised to be back by nightfall.

Nighttime came, and though I was worried, I only sat awake and waited for her return. There wasn't a way to tell time in the underground home, after all. She probably just lost track of the hour.

Midnight came, and I could wait no longer. I grabbed my cloak and walked to the Opera.

As before, I couldn't enter though the Rue Scribe entrance, as I still had no key for it. I went into the main entrance of the Opera, but was immediately turned away. It wasn't performance night...and I wasn't a patron anymore. After all that Christine went though and Phillipe's death, I didn't think that it was a good idea to keep supporting the Opera house.

This didn't stop me though, and I spent the next 8 days trying to find a way in. I tried the police, I tried bribing the managers to allow me in to Christine's old dressing room, I tried to sneak in...I even tried to find the Persian to help me. I was about to go mad with worry and frustration when the Opera announced a party to welcome their new diva. I went to the party on the pretence that I was only seeing and being seen like all the others...but I was happy to finally slip away and find my way to the cellars. Christine had been gone for 13 days by this point.

I made my way across the lake, and almost cried with joy when I made it to the door of the monster's house. I knocked on the door, hoping Christine could hear me, as I didn't know how to open it. I waited for a few moments that felt like eternity before I heard Christine's frantic voice from inside.

"...answer me! If you love me, tell me what to do, Erik! ERIK!"

Erik? Why was she calling the monster's name? He was dead!

She start speaking softly again, but I can't understand what she is saying. Who could she possibly be talking to?

I knock on the door again, and try to call to her, "Christine? Is that you?"

She still doesn't answer me! She is still only talking softly to someone unknown.

I am truly worried now, something isn't right! Before I could try to break down the door, I hear my love's normally kind and beautiful voice screech, "ERIK! ANSWER ME ERIK!"

I step back in surprise. Before I can say anything else to her, she starts pounding on the door with strength I never expected of her. I am frantic with worry...what is wrong with her? Is she hurt? In danger?

"Christine? CHRISTINE!" I call to her.

A pause...and then the door finally springs open.

The first thing that hits me is the strong smell of rot. The second is the devastating sight of my fiance. Her eyes are wide and crazed...her normally soft, shiny hair is now matted and filthy...her skin has a sickly yellow tint to it...and she has obviously lost a lot of weight.

"You...must...leave.." she panted, still out of breath from her outburst earlier.

"Christine..." I reply weakly, I can hardly think of anything to say.

"Erik...wont speak to me until you leave. I wont...come with you. I have to...stay here," she motions to the high-backed chair behind her...and I realize where the smell had come from.

There in the chair sat the rotting corpse of what I'm sure had to be Erik. True, the man always had the face of a dead man...but there was no doubt of his death now. His skin is starting to fall from his bones. He's sitting in an uncomfortably stiff position. And, the absolutely worst of it is his eyes...they were wide and blank and sunken.

I can only gape at the scene in front of me. What can I possibly say?

"Leave Raoul."

"Ch-Christine...that's a corpse!" I finally manage.

"Raoul! How awful of you!" she hisses, "You know how sensitive he is about his face!"

"But Christine!"

"No more of this! If you are at all the gentleman your name implies, leave!"

And with that she turned from me and walked to the dead body...and kissed its rotting cheek.


End file.
